We attempted two new technology programs today in class: typing club and xtramath.org. Both links are off to the side of this blog. Kids may use them both at home as well. Practice, practice, practice. Kids will need to know their keyboarding skills by the end of the year for the Smarter Balance test. They have to type an essay online and when they chicken peck the letters it takes FOREVER!!! So, once a week, we will spend 15 minutes using this program. I remember this program back in the good old high school days! It is incredible that even 1st graders are getting keyboarding skills. It's a whole different generation by golly! Xtra math helps kids learn their basic multiplication and division facts fluently. It is a timed program which helps them learn to know them like they know their name. We will do this program daily for 15 minutes of our math time. Kids should go up daily on their facts mastered. It will be charted in class so they can see their growth over time. Again, they may do it at home daily as well. :0)
Homework tonight is Book Report Part 3. It is time for the kids to tape them together. Please remind them to tape AFTER they write or color. They will really need to take their time to tape them neatly. The papers are not even, so it is a little difficult, but THEY can do it. Here are my examples we did in class.
Kids also have a reading comprehension sheet entitled Stan Musial. I read it aloud in class, and we compared Stan to Derek Jeter who also just retired. Ask your child what number Jeter wore on his NY Yankee Jersey. If they can tell you, write it in the planner for $10. Also, ask them what Jeter's heritage is. They should tell you that dad is African American and Mom is Irish/German. If they do, write JETER in the planner for another $10. Kids need to use the reading to find the answers to the clues on the back.
Many kids also took home their Scholastic News to finish up from this morning.
In Fly Time this morning, we read a story that addressed the issue of being kind TODAY, because it might be too late tomorrow. The story was about a little girl that was poor and always wore hand me down clothes. A group of girls always made fun of her and called her the nickname "Never New." They also would say no when the little girl would ask them to play. One day however, the new girl is gone. The teacher does a lesson with the class on kindness by dropping a rock into a bowl of water and watches how the kindness ripples out and carries on. One of the mean girls then feels very bad for how she treats the new girl. She can't wait for her to come back to school so she can apologize and become friends with her. Problem is, she never comes back. Her family ends up moving away. The mean little girl has to live with that guilt forever. That is how the story ended. Horrible ending, but wonderful lesson. We never got to do the rock/water part of the story in class today. If you do it with your child, write RIPPLE in the planner for $50 more. Just fill up a clear bowl, find a large pebble, and allow them to drop it in and watch how the kindness ripples out to others. We talked about how when someone is kind to us, we are kind to someone else in return. Awesome!
We will be making our Origami hurricanes on Wednesday from 2:00-2:45. I could use some adult helpers for this one. There are always a few that panic when it comes to origami. If we can help them one on one, they begin to feel confident to try the next piece. If you can help, please come in at 2. Thanks.
GREAT NEWS!!! Everyone has paid their $300 fake money to go on the NILE field trip!!! I knew we could do it. Last week was such an awesome week with amazing EQ behavior. I am not at all surprised that everyone made it. Now, if we can just hold it together for two more weeks so I don't have to refund anyone. :0)
Reece made it back safely from Phoenix. Look at this awesome bracelet he brought back for me from the Katy Perry PRISM concert. We will hear more about it tomorrow during Fly Time. Thanks for thinking of me Reece!!! I LOVE IT!!! You filled my bucket buddy!
I leave you with a couple of photos sent to me from Gabrielle's mom in Florida. She is LOVING her time with her big brother. It is pretty amazing…the bond siblings have. I love seeing all the memories being made for her, and are those black dots in the distance in the second one Dolphins????! Thanks for sharing with us Gabrielle!!! Keep them coming!
Well, I think that is Monday in a nutshell. Have a great night and enjoy the clear skies!
Mrs. Grewell
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